In early March, VPR received notification from the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) that the company earned both its Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and its Emerging Small Business (ESB) certifications, as established in OAR 123-200-1000-2300. CEO Mary Louse VanNatta, CAE, APR, Fellow PRSA, said, “It was a long and detailed process to…
VanNatta PR Earns Two Top Awards from Oregon Public Relations Society VanNatta Public Relations (VPR), a PR, consulting, and event planning firm in Salem, Oregon, was honored by the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter (PRSA). They received two top Spotlight Awards for their work with the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs and the…
Three Billy Goat’s Gruff is a famous Norwegian folktale. A mean, hungry troll lives under a bridge, and when the little goat wants to enjoy some green grass on the other side, the troll gives him trouble. In the world of social media or “social,” there are also trolls that wait for you and live…
I’m so generous! I’m so socially conscious! I recycle! I have a diverse team! I changed my Facebook profile picture for “awareness”! Check out any business or organization’s social media or website, and you may see them expounding their “virtues.” These can include claims of environmental friendliness, anti-racism, or COVID-19 safety protocols. Some groups can…
As COVID-19 restrictions lessen, we might expect to see people rushing to return to their favorite in-person activities. However, research in consumer behavior shows that this isn’t likely. If you ever took Marketing 101, you’ll have seen the “Five Stages of Consumer Adoption” process that includes Awareness, Interest, Evaluation, Trial, and Adoption. Marketing professionals have long…
Language is always changing and evolving. Every time we have a new technology, product, or discovery we are adding words. The pandemic has changed much of how we see the world and hence added hundreds of words to our lives. For fun, let’s look at some of the new words that we’ve discovered; the first…
Salem, Oregon (Jan. 7, 2021) – VanNatta Public Relations, Inc. (VPR) has been ranked by January 2021 Oregon Business Magazine’s Power Book for Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations firms. This is the ninth time VPR has been included in the Power Book. Compared with other Northwest companies, VanNatta was ranked 15th (based on size) as one of the…
By Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, CAE Happy 2021. As we peek out of our homes and into the new year, even just to offer an arm for a vaccine, we hopefully are leaving most of the quarantine behind. These long months have created a new way of living that has been coined, “Quarantine Culture.” This…
VanNatta Public Relation wins five awards from the nation’s leading professional communications organization VanNatta Public Relations (VPR), a PR and consulting firm in Salem, Oregon, was honored by the Public Relations Society of America Oregon Chapter (PRSA) during their Spotlight Award ceremony. The company was recognized for five noteworthy PR campaigns in 2019-2020. VPR has…
Job security is not what it was in December of 2019. In particular, young professionals face even less job security because they have less experience in their roles, often have fewer skills than their counterparts, and haven’t built strong, long-term relationships. For young pros and many business professionals, the next three to six months will…
Try and make a difference this holiday season. “Old Man Yells at Cloud,” is a popular meme of Abe Simpson, Homer’s father from the television series, “The Simpsons.” The image is used to make fun of people who are angry over frivolous controversies or things they can’t control. One picture featured Grandpa Simpson yelling at…
By Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, CAE When a management position becomes available, it seems obvious to choose the top performer. However, you might need to be cautious. Some people save their best performances for when the boss is around. A one-dimensional view might not be truly reflective of a person’s leadership potential. Anyone who watches…
Stress is at an all-time high right now. And it’s about to get worse. The holidays are notorious for increasing stress as people deal with the financial burden of trying to provide for their families, the pressure of relatives visiting, and the expectations of gifts, food, parties, etc. Workers have an increased pressure to provide…
Mary Louise VanNatta named a Woman of Vision Salem, OR (Oct. 20, 2020) – Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, Fellow PRSA is one of the Daily Journal of Commerce’s Women of Vision award winners for 2020. The annual awards honor women who are shaping the built environment in Oregon and Southwest Washington via leadership, mentoring efforts,…
You’ve just finished your resume. It’s full of your accomplishments, goals, hopes, and dreams. You’ve spent hours and hours crafting it and are finally ready to apply for that dream job. Little do you know that most employers (especially now) have received hundreds of applications for a position. Because of this (and the human attention…
By Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, CAE Do you sometimes feel you are the ringmaster in your business’ three-ring circus? Barking orders, keeping the monkeys from creating a ruckus, and the tigers from eating the guests? Is your environment distracting with multiple acts vying for attention? Some businesses have an improvisational culture and run on “circus…
Salem, Oregon (August 25, 2020) — Mary Louise VanNatta, APR, CEO of VanNatta Public Relations, was recently selected to join the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) College of Fellows. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community. The college of Fellows is an honorary organization…
By Mary Louise VanNatta Mask required! Stay six feet apart! Don’t run with scissors! Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the new COVID-19 safety signs? You’re not alone. As regulations are increasing, businesses are adapting. Protecting public health is critical. However, people generally don’t like being told what to (SHOCKING). While you certainly can’t convince…
In times like these, it’s easy to be negative. When was the last time you heard a positive story on the news? Oregon feels like a pot of boiling water, frothing and churning, threatening to spill over the sides at any minute. Many people are trapped in their homes, losing money, losing connections with loved…
By Mary Louise VanNatta Our lives have been taken and shaken and we’ve consumed more media than ever before. As we drift back to our work lives, business communication is going to pivot. Everyone is going to try to convince us that their product or service cares the most, has the best solution, and will…
